Video Game Search

showing 1 - 50 of 132 games

name	publisher(developer)	year	description
ATTACK OF THE PETSCII ROBOTS	8-Bit Productions	?
Donkey Kong 3	Nintendo (Nintendo EAD)	1984	[media=youtube]https://youtu.be/p4A5zoBuEzA[/media]* [22]* [52]* [47]A strange entry in the Donkey Kong game series. Graphics are nice and it is a playable game, but it ultimately lacks variety and does not have the kind of "evergreen" status like the original Donkey Kong.**Based on the third game in the enormously popular arcade series, Donkey Kong 3 introduces an exterminator named Stanley as he desperately tries to protect the flowers in his greenhouse from Donkey Kong. Armed only with a can of bug spray, Stanley must force Donkey Kong higher and higher into the greenhouse rafters until Donkey Kong is off the screen and the next stage is reached. Not surprisingly, Donkey Kong isn't going to move without a fight, so he sends wave after wave of bugs, bees and other creatures toward Stanley. Not only must Stanley repel the insects in order to save the flowers, but he'll also have to keep an eye out for projectiles thrown by Donkey Kong himself. If Stanley is good enough, he'll be able to grab a can of more powerful bug spray and really get Donkey Kong moving. It all adds up to frantic fun that anyone can enjoy.
F1 Race	Nintendo	1984	The game features racing in a Formula One car around a variety of tracks. Gameplay is similar to that of Namco's [url=http://www.uvlist.net/game-155-Pole+Position]Pole Position[/url]. The vehicle in the game has a generic two-speed manual transmission governing its speed (with a "LOW" setting and a "HI" setting). There are ten tracks in the race; the game repeats itself after the conclusion of the tenth circuit. Three difficult levels help beginners to adjust to the artificial intelligence on "skill level 1" while novices get some extra challenge on "skill level 2" and experts get the ultimate challenge on "skill level 3." A strict time limit forces players to finish races without mistakes in order to progress to a more complicated race track. [i]Source: Wikipedia[/i]***A basic racing game in tradition of [game=#155]Pole Position[/game]. Gameplay follows a similar pattern. You have to finish two rounds of a track in a certain amount of time to go to the next track. Controls are average, you have to switch between low and high gear. There is not much scenery along the track, which is understandable considering the age of the game. The rather high number of different tracks is a plus.
Urban Champion	Nintendo	1984	Think you're tough, huh? Well, you better be. Because you've got to be quick on your feet and fast with your hands to become the next URBAN CHAMPION. You've go the block, fake and land punches that will knock your opponent off the screen. Do that three times and there will be a confetti celebration in your honor as you become the new URBAN CHAMPION. But watch out. Just when you think you've beat him to the punch, you fall into an open manhole! Or get hit by a falling flower pot! Think you can handle the action? Then prove it. Play by yourself or challenge a friend, either way you'll have a knockout time defeating the toughest guys in the neighborhood in URBAN CHAMPION.* [22]* [52]* [52]* [52]* [49]Urban Champion is a very simply structured, slow-paced fighting game with bad controls. Attacks are limited to punches only, the opponents all look the same, the game is very repetitive. Only the background graphics are nicely done.**A somewhat repetitive fighting game where you must use your punches to knock your opponent off the side of the screen and continue on to the far side (every third stage), where you can knock him into a manhole. [Jacquismo]
Clu Clu Land	Nintendo	1984	[49]* [22]* [52]* [52]A good puzzle/action game where you have to wander through a kind of maze to reveal all gold bars while avoiding contact with enemy creatures. At the beginning mastering the conrols is the major task for the player. The controls are good, but work differently than similar games where you just press "down" to wander down and so on. In Clu Clu Land you have to press left / right according to the direction the player looks at. Once you get used to it the game plays very well and motivates with many different level layouts (not too common in 1984).**Take a deep breath and prepare for a puzzle game set in the underwater kingdom of Clu Clu Land. The greedy Sea Urchins have stolen all of Clu Clu Land's gold bars and buried them in a series of mazes. As Bubbles, a brave bubble fish, you'll set out to uncover all of the gold bars in each maze. But you'll have to be careful: Sea Urchins will relentlessly pursue Bubbles, and there are also dangerous black holes that must be avoided. Bubbles isn't defenseless, though, as she has the ability to stun Sea Urchins with sound waves and quickly change direction using posts scattered throughout the stages. Not only that, but the locations of the gold bars in each maze form the outline of another object—once you know the object, you're well on your way to finding the gold. With 20 stages to complete and increasingly complex conditions (like having to pass over the gold bars twice to uncover them), you might just want to bring along a friend for help.
Excitebike	Nintendo	1984	[media=youtube]https://youtu.be/J1EXZYMFsP8[/media]* [100]* [4]* [22]* [66]* [4]* [1]* [52]Excitebike is an excellent early side-view racing game. Playability is the big plus of this game. The controls - once used to it - are very well done and controlling the motocross bike feels intuitive and realistic (well at least as realistic as it can get in 1984). On top of it there is a clever desing mode, letting the player create his own tracks. Although the game was released early in the Famicom/NES era it is one of the best racing games for the system.**Face crazy curves, hairpin turns, and daredevil jumps as you race toward the checkered flag and the Excitebike championship. Race against the clock or challenge an opponent. You must keep your bearings as you fly through the air and avoid getting clipped by other racers. Stay cool under pressure or your bike will overheat. If you get tired of racing on the circuit, create your own course in Design Mode. There you have access to all the ramps, mounds, bridges, and other obstacles Excitebike has to offer.
Antarctic Adventure	Konami	1985	The player takes the role of an Antarctic penguin, racing to disparate research stations owned by different countries in Antarctica. The gameplay is similar to Sega's [url=http://www.uvlist.net/game-1341-Turbo]Turbo[/url], but plays at a much slower pace, and features platform game elements. The penguin, later named Penta, must reach the next station before time runs out while avoiding sea lions and breaks in the ice. Throughout the levels, fish jump out of ice holes and can be caught for bonus points. The game, like many early video games, has no ending – when the player reaches the last station, the game starts from the first level again, but with increased difficulty. [i]Source: Wikipedia[/i]***You control a cute penguin and have to reach the next base in a certain amount of time. While racing above the snowy antarctic landscape you have to avoid cracks in the ice, sea lions and other creatures. The gameplay resembles that of standard racing games, but it is a nice change to control a penguin and not a car. And this penguin subsequently became some kind of Konami's mascot in the 80's with him appearing in many more Konami games.
Ninja-kun: Majou no Bouken	Jaleco (Tose)	1985	[i]Ninja-Kun: Majou no Bouken, Ninja Kid: Castle of Demons Adventure[/i]***Arcade port of the first game in the "Ninja-kun" series. You control a little ninja who has to defeat each enemy on screen. The game's formula is reminiscent of many other games of its time. You have very few stages packed with enemies. Once you have cleared all stages the game repeats itself just with more and deadlier enemies. Graphics are basic and the sound and music are annoying. It is a bit beyond me why this game started a successful series...
Chack'n Pop	Taito (Tose)	1985	Chack'n Pop is the unofficial precursor of [game=#28]Bubble Bobble[/game], but by far inferior to its famous sequel. You have to destroy monster eggs with timed bombs as well as recover a stolen heart from a cage. Problem with this game are the bad controls and stupid aiming of the bombs. Combine this with a harsh time-limit and you get a game that is infuriatingly frustrating. Graphics and sound are also on the weak side.
Flappy	dB-SOFT	1985	Flappy plays like a mixture of Soukoban and Boulder Dash. The goal of each level is to place a blue boulder on a blue platform. And levels this game has enough. There are 200 of them. The graphics and sound are outdated and the controls are not so great. In the end Flappy is only for people who like puzzle games and want to play something different for a change.
Spartan X	Nintendo	1985	[169]* [142]You'll need lightning fast reactions to knock out the Knife Thrower, stop the Stick Fighter, and trip up the evil Tom Tom Brothers in this action-packed martial arts contest! Are you sure you're tough enough? Because it'll take all your strength and skill to master the moves in KUNG FU, beat your opponents, and rescue the fair Sylvia who's held captive on the top floor! The action is non-stop, and just when you think you've got your enemies licked there's always a Giant, a Snake, or a fire-breathing Dragon to contend with in KUNG FU! [22]* [4]* [52]* [52]* [49]This game is a home version of an arcade coin-op that is not officially related to any movie. But the Famicom version was re-branded to make it the game for Jackie Chan's movie, Wheels on Meals (Spartan X). The Arcade version also was heavily influenced by Bruce Lee's movie, Game of Death, but it was not officially licensed as such. This is the first movie based game for 8-bit Nintendo.One of the first real scrolling beat'em up games. I have very fond memories of this game playing it a lot in the 80's on the C64. When I tried the Famicom/NES version the fond memories returned. Same music, same enemy attack pattern, same satisfaction when hitting three opponents at the same time. The game surely is rather simple, short and repetitive but at least the different enemies and "bosses" need special tactics. The coolest Kung Fu game of its time. Much better games with similar gameplay and martial arts setting would follow soon though.*One of the launch games for the US NES and a precursor of games like 'Double Dragon'. Nintendo licensed the game from Irem, who did the original Arcade version.
The Tower of Druaga	Namco	1985	Some may call "Tower of Druaga" an Action-RPG, I call it a clever maze game with usable extra items. Your goal on each floor is to find the exit. Besides that you have to find a treasure chest on each level, which often gives you a bonus item, which might become invaluable in later levels. Here is also my biggest complaint about this game. Besides the repetitive nature of such maze games the appearance of treasure chests is often triggered by certain events like killing a special enemy on the floor. Missing treasure chests on the first floots might make a much later floor nearly unplayable, which is a bit unfair system. Graphically the game is average. Since it is an early Famicom game the mazes don't come in many shapes and looks.
Gyromite	Nintendo	1985	In this action-packed game you've got to keep R.O.B.'s gyroscope spinning in order to assist Professor Hector, the mad scientist, in defusing all the bombs in his laboratory. R.O.B. will help move the columns blocking the scientist's way so he can get to the dynamite before it explodes. Master the technique and you can get R.O.B. spinning two gyros at the same time. But don't take your eyes off the screen for two long - because anything can happen in Gyromite!* [52]* [52]*The catalog number for the Great Britain / Italy version of this game is officially "NES-GY-GBR". However, the cartridge simply has "GBR" on the label. [b]Some[/b] Canadian version cartridges likewise show only "CAN". Also "FRA" for [b]some[/b] French Versions. Some USA version cartridges have no catalog number printed on the cartridge label. There exists a 'big box' USA version'. The cartridge in this box has "NES-GY-USA" on the label. The USA R.O.B. and Gyromite boxed set shares the same UPC as the Gyromite game sold alone, 0-45496-63001-0. The Japanese cartridge label reads: "ファミリーコンピュータロボット HVC-GY ジガイロ Gyro" Where "ファミリーコンピュータロボット: ジガイロ" seems to be the intended title "HVC-012" Applies to the Japanese Robot without the Robot Gyro game. This box apparently has no JAN barcode. UNKNOWN: Japanese Robot + Robot Gyro game JAN code Robot Gyro lone cartridge JAN code.Gyromite is one of two Famicom/NES game using Nintendo's (today very expensive) R.O.B. addon. You are playing a professor who has to collect all dynamite in each level. One player controls the professor, the second player controls the pillars, which block the way. Pillars can also be used to kill enemies by squishing them beneath pillar and ground or ceiling. R.O.B. can also take the role as second player. The game is quite interesting with nice graphics and music for its time. Now the problem is to get a willing second player or R.O.B. to fully enjoy the game, because alone it doesn't rise to its full potential.Since the average younger sibling is usually slightly smarter that ROB, they are a much better choice as a 2nd player. [Zerothis]*1 player or 2 players simultaneous cooperative. Technically, the game is two player only, one human player only, R.O.B. being the second player. This is a very basic platform game with the added twist of a second player having simple control over certain elements in the game world. It is intended that the first player would command ROB to spin up his gyroscopes and move them around to push buttons on the 2nd player controller to manipulate the game world on behalf of player 1. Thus human player 1 and robot player 2 would cooperate to beat the game. Tags: The game is designed to be used with the Robot Operating Buddy (R.O.B.) Gyromite was available when the NES was launched in the USA. It was also packaged with some NES decks. Gyromite was available as a standalone game in a package with ROB parts. It was also available in a package without ROB parts inside. Some players have noted that when this game is played on an NES deck modified for stereo or an emulator with stereo out capability, that it sounds as if it were designed for it. [Zerothis]
Super Mario Bros.	Nintendo	1985	[22]* [1]* [52]* [52]* [33]*Super Mario Bros. is the pinnacle of pure, unblemished gaming. The 2D platformer, designed by Nintendo's legendary figurehead Shigeru Miyamoto, still remains in our minds the most intuitive and addictive entry in the genre. The title stars "Jump Man" himself, Mario, along with his brother Luigi, and takes players through more than 30 colorful levels of varied theme and design, all of them packed with cute, stylized enemies like the goombas and a wide array of platforms and obstacles. Super Mario Bros. is the first major showpiece for Nintendo's heightened quality of gaming: full of depth, layered with tight control and remarkably clever level creation that spills with secrets and extras.One of the most important and best-selling games in history. This game was the #1 reason to buy a NES console in its early days. Perfect controls, nice graphics and sounds for its time. Varied levels with many secrets. The major breakthrough for side-scrolling platform games.Also released on a compilation grouping [game=#8317]Tetris[/game], [game=#5128]Super Mario Bros.[/game] and [game=#8062]Nintendo World Cup[/game] (Only in Europe).*First side-scrolling Mario game. Huge sales for the NES, both in Japan and the USA. A superb platformer and early benchmark for the NES and 8-bit consoles. Guinness World Records reports this game as the best selling game of all time at 40230000 copies. [b]Tags[/b] Landing squarely on an enemies head to defeat them is the first and most common tactic in this game. It was available at the launch time of the NES in the USA (Famicom?). It stars Mario the plumber. he main plot includes rescuing the unfortunate Princess in distress, and saving her kingdom; which is threatened by Bowser. Successful completion of the game completes a story of deliverance. Other royal subjects can be rescued optionally. The common bricks in the game can be smashed directly or by hurdling enemies at them. Although a glitch, Mario or Luigi can preform wall jumps. [Zerothis]
Challenger	Hudson Soft	1985	Challenger consists of several scenes. The first one is a platform scene on a running train, then the game switches to an overworld view. Around the overworld you have to visit little caves (again in side-view) and ultimately have to find the princess and rescue her. The highlight of the game are the graphics. Especially the first scene on a train (featuring parallax scrolling) is impressive for a game from 1985. The gameplay though is far from being a real rival to either [game=#5128]Super Mario Bros.[/game] in the side-view scenes or [game=#9176]The Legend of Zelda[/game] in the overworld-scenes.
Mach Rider	Nintendo	1985	[100]* [62]* [17]* [22]* [52]* [52]Mach Rider is an early Famicom/NES motorcycle racing game set in the future. The controls and not optimal and the obstacles on the street are unfair. There is no real sense of driving in this game, the graphics and sound are unspectacular. One of Nintendo's weakest releases for their Famicom/NES system.**It's the year 2112. Earth has been invaded by the forces of evil. Battle the invaders as you race from sector to sector on your motorcycle, searching for survivors. Feel the incredible sense of speed as you zip past evil Quadrunners and zigzag between treacherous rocks, oil spills and other obstacles on the course. For a different challenge, create your own course in Design Mode, using the various twists, turns and straightaways the game has to offer. Remember, you are Earth's only hope—you are Mach Rider.
Ninja Jajamaru-kun	Jaleco (Tose)	1985	[media=youtube]bKtwWO5N7is[/media]**While UPL brought the official sequel to Ninja-kun into the arcades, Jaleco made this spin-off sequel for the Famicom. The game basically stays true to the original game. Kill all enemies on screen with your shuriken throwing little ninja to make it to the next scene where more enemies await you. Inside a level you reach higher platforms by destroying brick walls by jumping headfirst against them ouch*. Instead of the mainly up-and-down scrolling levels of the original Ninja-kun game, Ninja Jajamaru-kun scrolls horizontally. By the graphics and sound you can see that it is a rather early Famicom game.
Pachicom	Toemiland;Toshiba EMI (Shouei System)	1985	This game contains a secret and extensive rant by one of the developers (Y.S.). It takes a whopping 5% of the entire game's ROM space. It is not accessible via gameplay and must be view with a hex editor. The message is in Romaji. An English translation is provided below.[spoiler=show rant;hide]I’M SAYING WHAT I WANT FROM HERE ON IN !! Mr. GOUHARA from JPM planning does absolutely nothing but gives me all sorts of crap anyway. SHUT UP, YOU IDIOT! ———– DEG/NANA/KOYA from company "T" [presumably Toshiba EMI] You RETARDS say one thing, then something else later all the time. I worked ALL NIGHT working on what you told me to; don’t say to me "it was better before"! Who the hell do you think is going to play this, with its boring bonus stage and the balls that get stuck? If you use SELECT to put the JOY right, that’ll make it +1, you idiot! You’re a sound company; quit ignoring pachinko sounds and trying to put these weird sounds in instead! Do you WANT it to be this hard to hear the balls?! I’ve left the PREVIOUS sounds, so edit this if you want to hear it. Set hex address AFFC to 1FAF and AFC4 to E0EE to get decent sounds. (Tiger_V & Kugi) Company "T", you idiots! GOU, you retard! Anyone can tell you what good sound is! ======== Does company "N" develop with company "I"‘s PROS80? I’m AMAZED they can make stuff on that weird (3″ floppy disk) machine! Do they trace the holes when drawing art, too? [i.e. Do they program graphic data directly without the use of any artist tools?] If you’re sick of tracing holes, I’ll sell Bear’s art machine (ROM) and debugger for 5 million YEN... Tel 03-864-6880 That’s cheap if you want pretty art!!! ——– Why did they take out the 6502′s decimal mode [from the NES architecture]? It’s a decimal computer... Did they mess up the mask cutting or something? ======== Anyone who happens across this is a pervert! There’s another message in the MSX Pachi-Com... If you’re a pervert, buy it and see! It’s in Okinawan dialect, though! DON’T TELL ANYBODY YOU SAW THIS!!! by Y.S[/spoiler]***A basic early Pachinko game for the Famicom. As annoying as the real thing.
Dough Boy	Kemco (Synapse Software)	1985	This is surely one of the worst games existing on the Famicom. In several stages you collect tools like TNT or ladders and use them to make further progress. In the last stage you have to rescue a POW. The controls are horrible, shooting and walking doesn't work and it is a real pain to get the tools to work. Add very simple graphics on top of that and you get a game of miserable quality.
Binary Land	Hudson Soft	1985	In Binary Land you control two cute penguins simultaneously through a maze. At the beginning you decide which bird you control directly resulting in the other bird having a mirrored control scheme. That means when you run left with the first bird, the second bird would run right. Both birds start from different locations in the maze and the goal is that both birds reach the heart on the middle top of the maze at the same time. I found the concept really refreshing. With enemies roaming the maze you have to keep a good look for both birds at the same time. There are lots of mazes and the difficulty level raises just in the right amount, starting with easy mazes and getting slowly more difficult ones.
Bomberman	Hudson Soft	1985	The Famicom/NES version of Bomberman is technically not the first Bomberman, the MSX and other computer versions were a bit earlier. But it is the first Bomberman with the typical Bomberman character and general graphical look that so many subsequent games in the series would borrow from. Sadly this Bomberman version doesn't have the best and main fun feature of later sequels, namely the multiplayer part. So you just run around the (scrolling) maze solo, bombing enemies and stone blocks in search of the exit door. Slightly above average game, but missing the fun factor of the better sequels.***published 1985-12-19 in Japan NES-BM-USA published 1987 in the USA 1 player only. Bomberman is a robot who dreams of freedom from his task of bomb making in the underground explosives factory. He's told a rumor that if a Bomberman reaches the surface he is granted one wish. He intendeds to escape, his wish will be that all Bombermen could become humans. Bomberman can drop timed bombs, that's it. But he can grab powerups to increase his bomb range and carrying capacity. The factory is full of guards who will stop Bomberman at all costs. They can be destroyed with bombs, but so can Bomberman, so Bomberman must becarful to stand in the right places. Each floor has an exit to the next floor that is hidden behind bombable walls. Bomberman is 50 floors underground. A password system allows Bomberman to continue from any level he knows the password for. The password also stores score, carrying capacity, and bomb range.[spoiler=secret powerups;secret powerups]The remote detonator & flameproof suit do exist in this game. The only known way to get them to show up in the world is with hacked passwords or cheat device[/spoiler] [Zerothis]
The Goonies	Konami	1986	[media=youtube]https://youtu.be/_VujmV_fkeI[/media]* [17]This was the second 8-bit Nintendo game based on a movie. And this on was actually created to be based on a movie (not a re-branded version of another game). Quite odd, its based on a North American movie and yet never released outside of Japan for the NES.The Goonies is a maze-like platform game based on the movie of same name. Your task is to find and rescue all your friends, who are behind closed doors which have to be opened with bombs that can be found from killed enemies. You also have to find key parts, which are also behind said doors. The game's difficulty level is low. Once you know your way through the rather small mazes the game offers not much challenge. Nevertheless it is maybe the second-best platform game for the NES at the time of its release (only beaten by Super Mario Bros.), due to its good playability and controls. Music is also well done when compared to the usual high-pitched noisy music of other early NES/Famicom games.*Released only in Japan, Americans had to settle for the playchoice-10 or Vs. System arcade versions [Zerothis]
Circus Charlie	Soft Pro (Konami)	1986	[media=youtube]https://youtu.be/2EmrTTl8Q4U[/media]***In Circus Charlie you play a young clown through five side scrolling stages, which eventually repeat itself endlessly. The arcade original featured a sixth stage which was omitted from the Famicom version. In the first stage you ride a lion and have to jump through circles of fire. The second (extremely easy) stage lets you jump over monkeys; in the third stage you must jump from one circus ball onto another. In the last two stages you have to ride on a horse and finally swing yourself from rope to rope. The game is playable, but since it is pretty easy to finish all levels in a few minutes, the game has no long motivating content and you have virutally seen everything the game has to offer. Graphics and sound are nothing special and merely average even for a rather early Famicom game.
Ninja Hattori-kun: Ninja wa Shuugyou de Gozaru no Maki	Hudson Soft	1986	忍者ハットリ君　忍者は修行でござるの巻, Little Ninja Hattori: Ninja Winding of Bamboo Basket Discipline (?)***The game Ninja Hattori-kun is based on some manga/anime series for kids. You control a ninja from left to right through scrolling platform levels, avoid or kill enemies (mostly other ninjas) by throwing shuriken at them. The game was a million seller in Japan, although one might wonder why. The controls are quite poor, the graphics and sound are also on the weak side. Maybe the game profited from being released in the wake of [game=#5128]Super Mario Bros.[/game].
Keisan Game: Sansuu 2 Toshi	Tokyo Shoseki	1986	This is the second game in an edutainment game series for the Famicom aimed at children in their second year in elementary school to improve their basic math skills. There are four mini-games with two difficulty levels each, requiring you to solve simple mathematical problems. While still being an overly simple and easy game for adults I think from the first three games of the series, this second game works best as an edutainment title, because it has the most interesting mini-games, which don't rely as much on action but only (quick) thinking.
Gumshoe	Nintendo	1986	Jennifer's been kidnapped! Now's your chance to prove you're a sharp-shooting detective by helping Jennifer's father find the five diamonds that will pay her ransom. You'll use your Zapper light gun to blow away anything that gets in your way. But even with the Zapper, this case will be hard to crack. Because not only are the diamonds hard to find, but you only have 24 hours to find them! What's more, you'll have to think fast and shoot even faster, because ferocious monsters, diving airplanes and hungry man-eating sharks will stop at nothing to prevent you from getting to the diamonds. Think you're a sharp-shooting detective? Well, you better be. Because if you're not, it's curtains for you in this quick-on-the-trigger Nintendo Light Gun game!* [49]* [4]* [22]* [52]*While the catalog number for the Canadian version is officially "NES-GS-CAN", the cartridge itself mere shows "CAN". Likewise, the Great Britain/Italy version shows "GBR". The Hong Kong version catalog number "NES-GS-HGK" does not actually appear on the cartridge. But this is known to be the correct catalog number from official Nintendo sources. Likewise, "NES-GS-ASI" is not shown on the Asian version cartridge. But this is known to be the correct catalog number from official Nintendo sources. Although the name "ガム･シュー" does not appear on any of the original game materials, other Nintendo sources do use this name. "ガムシュー" is used unofficially. The catalog number for the Japanese version is "HVC-GS". However, this does not appear on any game materials. This is a very obscure Japanese release. "HVC-GS" is the also catalog number used for the Wild Gunman and Zapper set sold in Japan. "HVC-WG" is the catalog number for the normal Wild Gunman package.The most notable thing about Gumshoe is the fact that this is the very first NES game that was not released in Japan. It is a Zapper game, but unlike other games the game looks and plays like a platform game. Shooting obstacles and enemies costs ammo, which can be filled by collecting balloons. Shooting the main character makes him jump. The constant switching between jumping and killing enemies can be very confusing and hectic, making this a very difficult game. The four stages are graphically varied and are well designed as is the music. I just wish they had made it a normal platformer with normal controls.**A Zapper game where you must rescue Mr. Stevenson's kidnapped daughter by helping him reach the five 'Black Panther' diamonds for the ransom. Shoot obstacles in the way, or shoot the main character to make him jump to avoid danger or reach higher platforms. [Jacquismo]
Ghosts 'n Goblins	Capcom (Micronics)	1986	[103]* [33]* [49]* [22]* [1]* [52]The Ghosts 'n Goblins series is known for its harsh difficulty level and sadly the NES version is no exception. On top of that you have to play through the game twice to see the real ending. However, if you are up for a real challenge (or have a good method to cheat at hand), the game might become enjoyable, because it features great graphics and music for an early NES game and is an all in all very faithful arcade conversion regarding the limited capabilities of the Famicom/NES.**Ghosts'n Goblins was a popular arcade game before it made the leap to the NES in 1986. Like later games in the series, Ghosts'n Goblins presents quite a challenge to players brave enough to take on the role of Arthur and delve into the realm of demons and monsters to rescue the kidnapped princess. Choose your weapons wisely and take advantage of their strengths to deal with the situation at hand. Pass through the six gates that stand between you and Astaroth, and teach him a lesson in chivalry he'll never forget. Demonstrating a high level of technical prowess for a game of its era, Ghosts'n Goblins presents a unique and unforgettable universe. The stage for adventure is set. Are you up to the test?
Ganbare Goemon: Karakuri Douchuu	Konami	1986	This is the first console game in the long-running Goemon series (only preceded by the arcade game [game=#3834]Mr. Goemon[/game], which gameplay-wise has not much to do with the Famicom version). You play the thief Goemon, some kind of Japanese Robin Hood, based on a real historical figure. In each stage you have to find three passes, which opens the gate to the next of the thirteen stages. Passes can be found in hidden underground passages, be bought in shops (amongst other useful extra items), or be found in first-person-view mazes. Money can be collected from slain enemies or hidden coin chests. Technically the game is very good and rather advanced for a mid-1986 title. I believe this was the very first 2Mbit cartridge and it shows with many different graphical environments. This game would eventually start a very successful game series, at least in Japan. However, the game does not yet feature the many hilarious characters and situations of the later Goemon games.***The Japanese title translates to something like 'Go Goemon! Tricking Adventure'. Karakuri means to trick or take a person by surprise (usually through mechanical means), but a karakuri ningyo (typically just called a karakuri) is also a type of Japanese puppet. The title may be a pun. Goemon is essentially the player's puppet during the game; however, the character of Goemon is also a thief (based on a real person), and thus his role in life is to trick people and steal things. [Jacquismo]
Solomon's Key	Tecmo	1986	[17]* [1]* [52]* [37]*Solomon's Key is a mix of puzzle and platform game. In each level you have to have to find a key which opens the exit door to the next level. With your magical wand you can make blocks appear and disappear. Thus you can free or build you way to the key or exit door. Many monsters roam the levels, which can be killed with limited charges of fireballs. Under many blocks extra items can be found, like extra charges, extra time and so on. In 1986 the gameplay felt fresh and motivating. Biggest problem is the harsh difficulty level. Later rooms not only require good thinking and planning, but also super-fast reactions. Additionally you have a lifemeter, which is actually just some kind of a timer. And the time runs out sooner than you think.
Jajamaru no Daibouken	Jaleco (Tose)	1986	The third game in the Ninja-Kun series from Jaleco. In contrast to the first two games you don't have to kill all enemies in each level to finish it. Here you have just to reach the exit door at the end of the level, which is scrolling from left to right. The game is a standard side-scrolling platform game borrowing many elements like destructible blocks with possible extra items from [game=#5128]Super Mario Bros.[/game]. The game is not bad, and a slight improvement over the other two Ninja games, but also not particularly groundbreaking or memorable.
Urusei Yatsura: Lum no Wedding Bell	Jaleco (Tose)	1986	In this game you control Lum, a main character of the very popular "Urusei Yatsura" manga and anime series. The game starts in preschool with the character being a little child. The school is under fire and you have to make your way to the top of the building. After that the character grows older and the next level is elementary school and so on. The concept stays the same in every level until you are grown up and get the chance to marry. You can dispose enemies by shooting lightning bolts at them. It seems that Jaleco got the Urusei Yatsura license only for the Famicom version. The arcade version features different characters. And to be honest the license is a waste for such a simple and ultimately below average platform game. The game slows down, especially in later levels. Enemies are unfair, reappearing again and again, and mostly when you are timing jumps. The levels are all too similar and the graphics and music are nothing to marvel at.***Port of arcade [game=#3792]Momoko 120[/game]% and renamed to match the brand.
Keisan Game: Sansuu 4 Toshi	Tokyo Shoseki	1986	This is the fourth game in an edutainment game series for the Famicom clearly aimed at children to improve their basic math skills. In contrast to the four mini-games of the first three titles, the fourth title only features two mini-game variants, but they are a bit more complex. In the first mini-game you control a sword-wielding character on his search for treasure chests and you have to choose the chests in the right order to solve the math riddle. In the second it is a maze game and you are controlling a little car, again with the task to find the correct numbers in the right order.
Keisan Game: Sansuu 5 & 6 Toshi	Tokyo Shoseki	1986	This is the fifth and last game in an edutainment game series for the Famicom aimed at children to improve their basic math skills. From all the games this is the most difficult one, having math problems for children in their fifth and sixth year of elementary school. The game features two mini-games. The first one is split into two sections. Section one has you flying a short bit in typical horizontal shoot'em up action gameplay. Then you have to solve a mathematical problem in a room, while avoiding laser shots. In the second mini-game you control a girl in a flower field. Watering the flowers will make them grow faster and eventually become some sort of pebble. Now push the white pebbles into the correct basket (similar to Soukoban games) to solve a mathematical problem. The game is not bad as an edutainment game for kids at its time but pretty uninteresting nowadays.
Nagagutsu o Haita Neko: Sekai Isshuu 80 Nichi Daibouken	Toei (Shouei System)	1986	This game is based on an old anime movie and obviously rooted in the novel "Around the World in Eighty Days" by Jules Verne. It is a platform/shooter mix, each level representing a different country/part of the world. In nearly each level you are in a different vehicle, ranging from boats and cars to balloons and even a level where you are controlling a submarine. However this diversity is already the most interesting part. The rest is really average. Shoot enemies here, jump over pits there. It is playable but nothing special.
Metro-Cross	Namco (Now Production)	1986	Metro-Cross is a port of a not too well known arcade game by Namco. The gameplay is very simple. You have to run from left to right and make it to the finish before the time runs out. The course is filled with various obstacles and a few extra items. The game is just average. I expected a bit more, because I played the Atari ST version in the past and I liked that quite a bit. But in the Famicom version you don't have much time to react because the player character is placed too much towards the center of the screen. Although I must admit that this problem is the same as in the arcade version. So it all relies on how good you memorize the levels. There are not much different background graphics or other graphical elements and the same music plays again and again. This game is good for a try or two, but becomes boring after that rather soon.
Stadium Events	Nintendo;Bandai (Human)	1986	Stadium Events Game Pak, which turns your home into an exciting stadium, dares you to increase your physical ability and better your athletic record. You'll compete against a runner in the Tournament Mode, and in 4 events for a total score in the Olympic Mode. The top 6 winners' names and their scores will appear on the electronic billboard. The top 3 winners will stand on the winners platform!* [49]* [33]*This is the second game in Bandai's Family Trainer Series. You can compete against the computer or a second player in four different disciplines with the special "Power Pad" peripheral. While the game is fun for a short while and features a not so bad 3D effect for its time, only four different disciplines are not enough variety and the controls are very similar in each discipline. On an emulator this game is ridiculously easy due to the fact that pressing buttons on a keyboard is much faster than running on the Power Pad.*Bandai created the Family Trainer and sold it in Japan. They created 10 games for it including one called "ランニングスタジアム" (Running Stadium)(1986). This game was renamed "Stadium Events" and packaged with the peripheral, which was also renamed "Family Fun Fitness", and test marketed by Bandai in a limited number of Woolworths departments stores in North America (1988). Nintendo then decided to purchase the North American rights to the peripheral and games. The Renamed them yet again to "Power Pad" and "World Class Track Meet" and recalled the previous packages (1988). World Class Track Meet and Stadium Events are the exact same game, sold in different packages. The Stadium Events package is the rarest licensed NES game ever be released for public sale with only 10 known NIB (new-in-box) copies and 300-800 used 'in the wild' and has sold for up to $5,600.01. [Zerothis]
Labyrinth: Maou no Meikyuu	Tokuma Shoten;Activision (Atlus)	1987	Activision did plan to publish this game in the USA. But it seems nothing became of this project. Perhaps there is a prototype in existence. Regardless, anyone dedicated enough to track down a prototype of this game may as well buy the Japanese version to play (English translation patch is available). Once again a Japanese only release of a game based on a North American movie.*Labyrinth is a game based on Jim Henson's Labrinth movie from 1986. The Famicom version is a totally different game from the Lucasfilm Games/Activision adventure game for home computers. Your goal is to find 12 parts of a key to rescue your little brother from the Goblin king. And true to its name the levels are complicated mazes, complete with secret warps and so on. Having a walkthrough and maps at hand really helps for this game. The game is unspectacular but playable and implemented a few interesting ideas, like a level where the forest trees change location or another level where the directional controls are changing randomly. Collected coins and treasure can be spend to upgrade offensive and defensive capabilities as well as buying more time.*Teenager (jail bait) Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) refuses to grow up and during a childish fit, accidentally gives her little brother to the The Goblin King (David Bowie). Needless to say she wants him back (so she won't get in trouble). The Goblin King agrees she can be let out of the deal and rescue her little brother if she can navigate his labyrinth before his clock, with 13 hours instead of 12, runs out. The biggest obstacles are presented by Sarah's refusal to grow up. She insists on collecting junk like stuffed animals, costume jewelery, books for little girls and other such things that adults don't need. Furthermore, the labyrinth is unfair and the Goblin King cheats, often pushing his clock forward. This time limit and unfairness of the movie is included in this game. Us Americans are too dumb and lazy to play an unfair game, so it was never published outside of Japan. [Zerothis]
Hiryu no Ken: Ougi no Shou	Culture Brain	1987	"Flying Dragon: The Secret Scroll" is a mix of beat'em up platform action game and classic 1 vs. 1 fighting game. Playability is only average but the game has some interesting aspects. For example the rather lengthy tutorial where the unusual hit-mechanism when battling opponents in the tournaments is explained. There is also a basic storyline you are following, which is a plus and wasn't often seen at the time of its release (at least the Japan release which was 2 years earlier than the US release). The fact that you had to play through the game twice to see the real "good" ending (similar as [game=#7825]Ghosts 'n Goblins[/game] handled it) left a bitter taste though.***A platformer with fighting tournaments between stages. Similar to the Master System's Hokuto no Ken (AKA Black Belt), but executed far better. Not a bad game, but the controls feel a little stiff at times. [Jacquismo]
Hana no Star Kaidou	Victor	1987	Rarely I refuse to finish a game when I have cheats and save states at hand, but "Hana no Star Kaidou" manages that easily. The game is virtually unplayable. You are controlling two musicians through several semi-linear levels with rather ugly graphics. The point is you are controlling both of them at the same time and that this element doesn't work well at all. I haven't played all NES games (yet), but this is a sure candidate for a member in the worst 25 list of Famicom/NES games ever.
Rad Racer	Square;Nintendo (Square)	1987	[62]* [33]* [4]* [49]* [22]* [66]* [52]* [47]NES-RC-CAN Rad Racer UPC:0-74299-00988-4, Mattel catalog number:sku:0988, published in Canada NES-RC-GBR Rad Racer UPC:0-74299-00988-4, Mattel catalog number:sku:0988, published in Great BritainThis is no ordinary game pak. This is Rad Racer. Nintendo's thrilling 3-D video game. Rad Racer comes action-packed with revolutionary 3-D technology and 3-D glasses (they're free inside) that will have you really believing you're in the middle of a cross country rally race-cruising along at 200 miles per hour!Rad Racer takes you through 8 treacherous race courses including the Los Angeles Nightway, the San Francisco Highway and the Grand Canyon. Choose the Ferrari and you'll enter a Super Machine competition where you'll race against Corvettes and Lamborghinis. Select the F-1 Machine and you'll compete against incredibly fast cars. Whether it's Ferrari or F-1, 3-D or Regular mode, Rad Racer's hair-pin curves, dare-devil turns and realistic action will bring home all the fun and excitement of real rally racing. Think you're up to it? Then drivers start your engines. It's Rad Racer!*"Rad Racer" is as much an OutRun clone for the NES as it can get. You race on eight tracks against a time limit with checkpoints. Each of the tracks has different backgroung graphics, there are three tunes to choose from (which can even be changed while driving) and you can choose your car from either a ferrari sports car or a formula 1 style racing car. The game is fast and all elements are decently implemented, but it also feels monotonous at times. Each stage features only one set of car graphics and the incoming "car waves" reminded me often enough of the old game [game=#5165]Enduro[/game].
Hokuto no Ken 2: Seikimatsu Kyuuseishu Densetsu	Toei;Taxan (Shouei System)	1987	Hey, only about eight months after the first Hokuto no Ken game for the Famicom - which was a rather appalling game - Toei released the sequel "Hokuto no Ken 2". The game is based on the second Hokuto no Ken anime tv-series. This game is the only NES game that was actually released in the US under the title "Fist of the North Star". And as the first game it is a side-scrolling beat'em up game. Compared to the first game it looks better, sounds better and plays a little bit better. That wasn't difficult, but at least it reaches an quality that could be called "average". The difficulty in the US version seems to be significantly reduced compared to the original Famicom version and some scenes where special characters from the series appear are also missing in the US version.
Castlevania	Konami	1987	[100]* [17]* [49]* [83]* [62]* [33]Very similar to [game=#16536]Vampire Killer[/game] but the gameplay is different and lacks some gameplay elements present in the MSX2 version. [49]* [1]* [52]After the initial 1986 Famicom Disk System release in Japan, this game made it to the USA in May 1987 as cartridge version for the first time. The Japanese got their cartridge version on the 5th February 1993. Except the removal of saved games this version seems to be identical to the Famicom Disk Version. Castlevania is an early Konami NES title with great and varied background graphics and sprites. Music is also very good and memorable. Konami really understood early on how to program high quality games for that console. Playability is also quite good but there are a few issues. Most prominent one the fact that when you are hit by a monster you are pushed back quite a bit, which very often results in falling down platforms and to your death.Step into the shadows of the deadliest dwelling on Earth. You've arrived at Castlevania, and you're here on business: to destroy the curse of the Evil Count, once and for all. Make your way through six monstrous floors filled with bats, ghosts, zombies and every kind of ghoulish creature you can imagine. Use the legendary whip Vampire Killer and a host of deadly weapons to battle your way to Dracula's chamber and the ultimate duel of good vs. evil.*The original Castlevania in all it's 8-bit glory. This game has great music and interesting levels (as far as the NES goes, anyway). Simply a classic. [trevor belmont]
Youkai Club	Jaleco	1987	This game instantly reminded me of the first [game=#7647]Castlevania[/game] game. "Youkai Club" is a mostly linear game. Some of the levels/rooms are side-scrolling and others are vertically scrolling. You kill enemies with your throwing knives/daggers. You can get experience from killing enemies and collecting red balls they leave behind or by finding special book items. With higher experience you upgrade you firepower. The graphics have enough variety most of the time and the music is decent. However the game also has strange jump controls that I didn't like. Many enemies are too hard to kill, especially at the beginning. The difficulty level is quite high. In the end it is what you might call an average game. Players who like Castlevania-style games might want to give it a try.
Athena	SNK (Micronics)	1987	[100]***Before I started playing this game I read that this is considered to be one of the weaker NES games out there. At first I was pleasantly surprised, considering that this game looks much better than the (quite bad looking) C64 version that I already knew (and didn't like). And the first level wasn't bad at all. But the game gets worse with each level. The difficulty level is much too high. Even with walkthrough and cheats I had to curse this game numerous times. Controls are bad and there is much much sprite flickering. When being hit, you get thrown back too far. With the wrong weapon choice you suddenly are stuck in places where it is necessary to break walls and backtracking is not possible, or bosses become unbeatable. Important items are too well hidden and suddenly you find yourself at the beginning of a level and ask yourself what you have done wrong and what item you might have missed.
Tokoro-San no Mamorumo Semerumo	Sony (ISCO)	1987	This platform game features the Japanese actor George Tokoro as main protagonist. The creatures in this game are really bizarre. I mean, where else do you see a flying whale with a rocket attached to its back? There are two major negative points in this game. First of all your ammo for the water pistol is limited. But extra ammo is hidden and can only be found by randomly shooting around, thus it feels you are spending too much ammo for finding a bit more. And the second one is the non-linear level structure in the first part of the game. After beating the boss of a level there are several doors, which lead to other levels. However this is quite random. It might actually happen that you move away from your goal into earlier levels again. Combine this with unspectacular gameplay and with graphics and music that even struggle to be average, you get a rather weak game as result. However its not completely unplayable and still a step or two above abysmal games like [game=#181533]Hana no Star Kaidou[/game].
Booby Kids	Nichibutsu	1987	"Booby Kids" (yeah that title is great) is a typical "collect all items to open the exit door" game. It is an arcade port, but the levels are all new and the gameplay adds something here and there (the TG-16 version [game=#10564]Cratermaze[/game] is a much more faithful port). You can trap enemies by digging holes. There are some extra items that slow down enemies or make you invincible for a short period of time. Sometimes you must bomb your way free to open up ways and find hidden items. The levels consist of different times zones, starting with a prehistoric-theme and ending with a futuristic setting. While the graphics change in each time zone the general gameplay elements stay the same. "Booby Kids" is worth to check out if you like maze / action games.
Batsu & Terii Makyou no Tetsujin Rasu	Use	1987	Batsu & Terry is based on an 80's baseball-themed manga series. You control either a baseball throwing guy or a baseball bat swinging guy. The game doesn't offer much fun. The levels are full of re-occuring elements and mostly just boring. Most enemies you should just avoid instead of killing them. And the graphics and sound are by far not good enough to draw some positive attention to the game. I mean I have played much worse games on the Famicom/NES, but in the end "Batsu & Terry" struggles to be even a mediocre game.
Slalom	Nintendo (Rare)	1987	[49]* [33]* [22]* [52]The freezing wind cracks against your face. The tension mounts. Suddenly you’re off! Speeding through the gates on one of Nintendo’s 24 snow-covered runs. Welcome to SLALOM! Where you feel every bump, every jump, every death-defying turn, just like in a real slalom race! Along the way you’ll dodge other competitors, trees, sledders – even snowmen – as you speed down mountains like Snowy Hill, Mount Nasty and Steep Peek in a heart-pounding race against the clock. Challenge the moguls and execute trick jumps. You’ll find SLALOM just as thrilling and dangerous as the real thing!**"Slalom" is Rare's first game for a Nintendo console and one of the first games that were not released in Japan. A simple looking and playing skiing game where you have to race down a mountain and make it to the finish in time to get to the next of all in all 24 courses. What makes this game interesting is its very fast speed without a noticeable framedrop. Just don't expect a realistic sports simulation here.
Robo Warrior	Hudson Soft;Jaleco USA;Jaleco (Hudson Soft)	1987	[103]* [49]* [62]* [33]You're Zed, half man, half cyborg. The one-man battalion with a human heart and a computer's brain. Can you blast your way alone through 27 battle zones to liberate the desperate people of the planet Altile from the evil invader Xur? Xur has seized the weather control station; it's bitter cold, and the people have fled underground. He knows you've landed. No turning back. You must recover an arsenal of 12 different weapons and 6 powers hidden on Altile. Megaton bombs, life vests, hyper missiles, super boots, cross-fires, super bombs, energy capsules, life pods, power balls... Master each to save yourself from a continuing barrage of 20 deadly enemies. Wisps, Wanes, Tracers, Strinkers, Skraugs, the Globula, Gholem, Viripides... They're mean, they're ugly, and they're after you. Flying. Dive-bombing. Writhing. Grabbing. Find the keys, or you're blocked in a battle zone forever. Find the hidden chalice and be saved from eternal doom. Hit the switch. This is war! [52]* [37]***"Robo Warrior" (or "Bomber King" in Japan") is a kind of spin-off to Hudson's earlier "Bomber-Man" game. It enhances the gameplay by various elements and it is a mixture of the first solo-only Bomberman gameplay and Action-Adventure type game. The premise is simple. Walk from left to right, find the hidden key at the end of the level which opens the exit door. However, while the game plays rather well there are some annoying typical old-school gameplay elements in place. First a super-harsh time-limit. Your energy goes constantly down except you find hidden energy/battery symbols. Many bombable blocks are hidden as normal non-destroyable blocks. Some stages loop endlessly unless you find a certain item etc. Virtually necessary extra items are often too well hidden. Many secrets are not necessarily bad for a game, but only when they are more or less optional, not when they become essential and when your constant low energy level makes you fear to explore the levels slowly. Could have been really good with a fairer difficulty level. Graphically its simple but ok. Not many different graphical layouts and quite a lot of color-swapping. The music is catchy enough.
Air Fortress	HAL Laboratory (HAL Laboratory;Live Planning)	1987	Each level of "Air Fortress" is split into two parts. The first one is a side-scrolling shmup. An important aspect of this part consists in collecting enough energy and bomb power ups for the longer second part of the game. In the second part you explore the inside of each air fortress to locate its reactor and blow it up. Then you have only a few minutes time to locate the exit before you will die in the wake of the air fotresses' destruction. The air fortress are maze-like structures, but in contrast to similar NES games of that time there is nothing "hidden" at insanely stupid places like in [url=http://www.uvlist.net/game-8028-Milons+Secret+Castle]Milon's Secret Castle[/url]. The game is generally well playable. However that doesn't mean its an easy game. Far from it. The game starts nicely and easy, but soon becomes very very challenging. Even with save states the later levels are a challenge. And on top of that you will only see the real ending when you finish the game twice, the "second quest" being basically the same layout as the first playthrough, but with harder and more enemies.

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